Features

Premiere: I See Stars’ “Mystery Wall”

I See Stars are releasing their third album, Digital Renegade, on March 13, via Sumerian Records. Read AP's four-star review of the album--and then listen to the world premiere of the song "Mystery Wall."

Frontman Devin Oliver also exclusively answered a few questions about the song for Altpress.com, which you can read below.

Tell us about the genesis of "Mystery Wall." When did you guys write it?
This track starts off with some new material written over the last year climaxed with older material that we wrote way before 3D. I'm excited to hear how hometown/day-one fans react to this specific track.

How did the song evolve in the studio, if in any way?
I had a lot of music I recorded over the last year that wasn't touched while entering the studio. I spent a night rewriting some stuff just to make sure everything flowed together properly and out came "Mystery Wall"--which is also what made the name fit.

This track in particular is one of the heaviest ones on the album, but yet has a lot of subtle flourishes: keyboards near the end and a lot of space in the music. It's an interesting progression for you guys. What was your aim with this song in particular?
With this song, we really wanted to blend our heavier and epic aspects. I think my personal goal with this song was to let the vocals take over. The lyrics are very powerful, and I really wanted the listener to feel that.

Lyrically, what was inspiring you guys on this song?
This song is really about making mistakes and being able to move on. It's based on a true story of a personal struggle that I had to overcome in order to live the life I have chosen for myself. I think anyone that will, has, or is having a struggle in their life can find this song motivating, inspiring and helpful.